Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Ida

The name “Ida B. Wells” rang some long lost bell at the
beginning of OC’s presentation on Tuesday. I could not remember where or under
what circumstances I had previously heard this name, but clearly Ida was a
woman of enough significance in our country to constantly stick in the back of
my mind.

OC’s
thoughtful reflection on why Ida is one of her role models made me appreciate
why the name had rung a bell. Ida’s modern motivation to support any cause she
saw worthy of her endorsement (not limited to women’s rights) was extremely
rare for her time. I respect and envy her bravery and the initiatives she took
even when told to back down and remain in “her place.” Those who told her to
stop advocating for matters such as black rights, her freedom of speech (which
she willingly employed in her paper, Memphis
Free Speech), and her stance against white supremacy simply acted as
motivators to fuel Ida’s fire.

Not
many women of her time, especially those of color, would have dared to continue
after all Ida suffered through. Even after being kicked out of the NAACP (which
she constructed herself), and sent death threats on multiple occasions, Ida
persevered. She was dead set on accomplishing what she set out to do: bring
light to issues that were consistently pushed under the rug, and to advocate
for the rights of blacks and other minorities. Regardless of her many failures
and set backs, such as the hateful destruction of her Memphis Free Speech office, Ida set an example for women and men
alike. Without fear, Ida saw what she wanted and did everything in her power to
get it done.